September 11, 2002

DuBois handily defeats Bigger

Orange County Sheriff Frank Bigger's long tenure in law enforcement is over. Bigger lost the Republican primary election last night to challenger Carl DuBois. DuBois defeated Bigger 9,091 to 5,025 with 99 percent of the votes counted.

DuBois also has the Conservative Party line in the November election and will face Democrat John Whiffen.

DuBois told well-wishers that he plans to bring integrity back to the office of sheriff and has an agenda all ready to go. "The workable disaster plan is something we want to take a look at should the unthinkable ever happen in Orange County," he said. "A new spirit of cooperation" with the county legislature, county officials and new lines of communication with the sheriff's office and up-to-date training and new training requirements for all sheriff's deputies and administration will be part of his office, if he wins the election, DuBois said.

Bigger's administration ran into difficulties last year when a county commissioned report found fault with the way he ran the county jail and other units within the department.